A Vancouver developer is breathing new life into a Second World War-era industrial building in Mount Pleasant with the aim of expanding and returning the space to its high-tech origins. Built in 1942 by Australian-born Henry Holdsby Simmonds — the architect behind Vancouver’s Stanley Theatre and Odeon theatre chain — the building at East 5th and Ontario Street once housed the Cemco Electrical Manufacturing Company. Back then it was staffed by workers making radio and radar components for the allied war effort.

Evan Duggan

Updated: December 8, 2015

Brent Sawchyn of PC Urban Developers at building at 22 East 5th Avenue (where they are redeveloping the old site) in Vancouver. Sawchyn indicated they are keeping the old facade of the building where radio equipment was manufactured during the Second World War.Mark van Manen / PNG

VANCOUVER — A Vancouver developer is breathing new life into a Second World War-era industrial building in Mount Pleasant with the aim of expanding and returning the space to its high-tech origins.

Built in 1942 by Australian-born Henry Holdsby Simmonds — the architect behind Vancouver’s Stanley Theatre and Odeon theatre chain — the building at East 5th and Ontario Street once housed the Cemco Electrical Manufacturing Company. Back then it was staffed by workers making radio and radar components for the allied war effort.

The two-storey structure, now called the Lightworks Building, is getting redeveloped by PC Urban Properties. They’re planning to erect a six-storey, 54,000-square-foot business and manufacturing building, while preserving the existing art deco facade.

Now seeking building permits, PC Urban, with Christopher Bozyk Architects, plans to have 7,200 square feet of retail space at street level and four levels of office space above. There will be 70 parking stalls as well as bike parking and end-of-trip facilities.

Mount Pleasant used to be the industrial heartland of the city, said PC Urban Principal Brent Sawchyn. “Then manufacturing all went overseas or to the suburbs. Now it’s returning. It’s gone full circle.”

When they purchased the building they had no idea of its historical significance. “As we got further and further into it we discovered it had a very interesting history,” Sawchyn said in an interview last week. “We were able to embrace that history.”

He said they worked with city and heritage experts to learn more about the building and to figure out a way to maintain its legacy. “They manufactured radio and radar for the allied fleet and merchant marine fleet,” Sawchyn said. “A lot of stuff was done under cloak and dagger.”

The entire north and west facade (the fronts of the building) will get reworked back into the design. “There’s really nothing of value necessarily on the inside other than some old timber beams that we will try to recycle,” Sawchyn said.

He said they aim to start foundation work on the building by March or April of 2016, with the completion date expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Sawchyn said they’re expecting the building to once again host high-tech tenants. “A lot of the manufacturing today is intellectual property, so the Hootsuites of the world and the post-media production people like DHX Media and Image Engine, those are the types of people that are gravitating toward Mount Pleasant.”

They have yet to sign any leases, he said, but added that they’re expecting a lot of interest in the building due to its heritage, design and location in burgeoning Mount Pleasant. “Certainly there are lots of heritage homes in the area, but its unusual to have an industrial building with a history to retell, or a heritage element to retain.”

Mount Pleasant is undergoing a commercial renaissance, driven by the arrival of creative businesses like Double Negative, Hootsuite and others, he said.

“They’re feeding off a great transportation corridor between Cambie and Main, lots of cool stuff on Broadway, and great services on Cambie,” Sawchyn said. “And who knew the Olympic Village would … become really cool?”

While the existing building is very utilitarian, “the art deco styling shows the architect was trying to dress it up”, said Donald Luxton, the heritage architectural consultant on the project. “It has a real style, and is quite handsome.”

Luxton said Vancouver has lost many of its industrial heritage and buildings like this need to be preserved.

“They are important to understanding the complete history of our city, the stories of how people worked and lived and made a living,” he said. “There are a number of buildings with heritage value that haven’t been identified or appreciated, but more are getting picked up and repurposed because they are functional, flexible and adaptable.”

The concept of blending industrial heritage with redesign is rare for the area, said commercial leasing agent Matt MacLean of Cushman & Wakefield.

“It’s something you’ve seen happen in places like Gastown and Yaletown over the years, but this is a real new direction for this neighbourhood.”

A few smaller buildings in the 20,000-to-30,000-square-foot range are coming up in Mount Pleasant, “but nothing that creates a brand new state-of-the-art office building on top of this great heritage component,” MacLean said.

He said the official launch of the project would take place in mid-January.

The Mount Pleasant node, while attracting new players in the creative industries, remains a cheaper option for commercial leases than other nearby locales, he said.

“With gross rents at 25-per-cent less than competing areas like Broadway, Yaletown and downtown … it attracts businesses that want to be in the heart of the city’s new creative zone,” MacLean said.

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